The Mazda 1000 was the second generation of Mazda’s small Familia, introduced in November 1967. Export markets knew the later versions as the Mazda 1200 and Mazda 1300, and the same bodywork also carried Mazda’s first small rotary coupé, the R100.
Mazda 1000/1200/1300 at a glance
| Introduced | November 1967, as the second-generation Familia |
|---|---|
| Export names | Mazda 1000, Mazda 1200 (from 1968), Mazda 1300 (from 1970) |
| Japanese name | Familia, Familia Presto from April 1970 |
| 1000 engine | 987 cc OHV four-cylinder, 58 bhp |
| 1200 engine | 1,169 cc four-cylinder, 58–68 bhp |
| 1300 engine | 1,272 cc OHC four-cylinder, 69 bhp |
| Bodies | two- and four-door saloon, coupé, three- and five-door estate, pickup, panel van |
| Topping-out speed | 135 km/h (1000), 150 km/h (1200) |
| Rotary versions | R100 coupé from July 1968; Familia Rotary saloon from 1969 |
| Facelift | April 1970, when the Presto name was added in Japan |
| Production ended | February 1977, replaced by the Familia AP / Mazda 323 |
This page covers the 1000, 1200 and 1300 versions of the second Familia generation; the 323 has its own article.
History of the Mazda 1000/1200/1300
The second-generation Familia arrived in November 1967 with the pushrod 987 cc engine of the previous saloons and a more rounded body than the Giugiaro-styled original. It was sold in some markets as the Mazda 1000, and in Japan the range included saloons, estates, a pickup and a panel van. The cars kept MacPherson struts at the front and a live axle on leaf springs at the rear, and the 1000 reached about 135 km/h.
In February 1968 a larger 1,169 cc four-cylinder joined the range, sold abroad as the Mazda 1200. It produced between 58 and 68 bhp depending on local regulations and revved less highly than many Japanese engines of the day; it was also offered as a two-door coupé and reached 150 km/h. The 1200 was first shown in Europe at the 1968 Paris Motor Show. In July 1968 Mazda added the rotary-engined R100 coupé, and from 1969 a Familia Rotary saloon with a two-rotor engine of 2 × 491 cc, 100 bhp and 175–180 km/h.
April 1970 brought a facelift and, in Japan, the Familia Presto name; a new overhead-camshaft 1.3-litre engine replaced the 1.2, and export cars became the Mazda 1300. In 1973 the saloon and coupé were restyled again while the estate and pickup kept the older body. In Germany the range was sold from March 1974 as the Mazda 1300 and from September 1974 as the 1000 as well, with 66 PS and 45 PS respectively; the 1.3 was detuned to 60 PS in October 1975. Production ended in February 1977, when the Familia AP arrived – the car exported as the Mazda 323. In Finland the Presto was even marketed as the Mazda Marella, and Kia built the range from 1973 as its first passenger car, the Brisa.
Design and features
- Wide range: saloon, coupé, estate, pickup and panel van from one platform.
- Rotary option: the R100 and Familia Rotary brought Wankel power to Mazda’s smallest car.
- Overhead-cam 1.3: the 1970 TC engine was derived from the smaller 1.0-litre OHC unit.
- Long life abroad: the basic design was built in Korea as the Kia Brisa until 1981.
Mazda 1000/1200/1300 versions
- Mazda 1000 (1967): 987 cc pushrod four, saloon, estate, van and pickup.
- Mazda 1200 (1968): 1,169 cc, also as a coupé.
- R100 (1968): rotary coupé with the 2 × 491 cc twin-rotor engine.
- Mazda 1300 (1970): 1,272 cc overhead-cam four after the Presto facelift.
- Kia Brisa (1973–1981): Korean-built version of the same range.
This generation was replaced by the Mazda 323, and it followed the first Familia, the Mazda 800. More Mazdas are in the Mazda collection.
Sources
- Mazda Familia, English Wikipedia: second generation, engines, R100
- Mazda 1000, German Wikipedia: export names, German prices and power, Kia Brisa
